Femi Falana SAN, Chair of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), has sharply criticised the Nigerian government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for their handling of the persistent issue of fuel smuggling.
Falana said this in a press statement released on Monday in the wake of comments by Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who at the 2024 Energy and Labour Summit in Abuja, conceded that smuggling could not be entirely eradicated.
Lokpobiri had highlighted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) lacks the necessary funds to rebuild the nation’s deteriorating pipelines, which has contributed to the problem. He noted that the old, corroded pipelines, some of which date back to the 1960s and 1970s, are easily vandalised, facilitating the illegal transport of fuel, adding that if NNPC imports PMS and sells to marketers at perhaps N600 or below, there’s no way that smuggling can stop, pointing to complicity among security agents as another contributing factor.
Despite these admissions, Falana’s argued that the Minister’s justifications are misleading and criticised the government’s past failures in addressing the issue. He recalled, “In 2010, the federal government and a private company, TPMS, operated the policy on the basis of a PPP arrangement. Even though the system dealt a heavy blow to smuggling of petrol and oil theft, the arrangement was terminated in 2011.”
Falana pointed out that subsequent efforts to restore effective monitoring systems have been thwarted, and funds allocated for technological improvements were misappropriated.
The statement also addressed recent government contracts awarded on July 13, 2024, including a $21 million contract for metering 187 crude oil flow stations and deploying software for tracking petroleum products. Falana questioned the effectiveness of these measures, stating, “Having awarded contracts for the metering of 187 crude oil flow stations… the Federal Government cannot turn around to say that oil theft and smuggling of petrol out of Nigeria will continue unabated.”
Falana’s also criticised the rising cost of petrol, which has surged from less than N700 per litre in July to over N1,000 in August.
He then called for greater transparency and accountability, urging that, “Mr. Lokpobiri should be advised to stop exposing Nigeria to ridicule by saying that the federal government lacks the capacity to curb the nefarious activities of smugglers.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
Follow us on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFlFl1mPGC8 The arrest of self-proclaimed Prime minister of the Biafra Republic, Simon Ekpa who was…
Gatwick Airport's South Terminal was evacuated after a suspected prohibited item was found, prompting bomb…
Trump is considering Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, with a future possibility of him becoming…
Hyundai has recalled 145,235 electrified vehicles in the US. due to potential loss of drive…
AGN president Rollas has stressed the need for actor licensing to ensure fair compensation and…
EU regulators has closed a four-year investigation into Apple's App Store rules after the complainant…
View Comments
auction is currently going on now at ogun state command givenopportunity to get a car of your choice at a minimum price also a bag of rice #27,500 oil #18,500 costs of delivery #5000Civic
Accord – N950,000
CR-V –N980,000
CR-V –950,000
Pilot – N900,000
Rice and oil also available
O8O__6739__9O9O
Volswagen
golf 1 = 250,000
Golf 2,-N350,000
golf 3 -400,000
golf 5 -N500,000
Jetta-N450,000
Passat-N550,000Lexus
Mercedes-Benz C-Class= ₦950,000
Mercedes-Benz E-Class= ₦1.1M
Mercedes-Benz GLK= ₦4.5m
Mercedes-Benz ML320= ₦850,000
Mercedes Benz ML330= ₦1.8M
Mercedes-Benz ML350= ₦5.2M
RX300-N950,000
Lexus ES330 1.8 mill
Lexus Es350 2.5 mill
Lexus RX330-N1.6 mill
Lexus RX350-N2.5mill
Lexus GX460-N3.6 mill
Lexus GX470-N4.5 mill
Lexus RX400-# 2.3 mill
Toyota Sienna = 850,000
Land Rover Discovery ₦2.8M
Land Rover Freelander ₦2.6M
Land Rover Vogue ₦2.9M
Range Rover Sport. ₦2.8M
TIPPER AND TRUCKS
Camry Muscle ₦850,000
Camry Spider ₦950,000
Avelon ₦750,000
Avensis ₦700,000
Corolla ₦750,000
Yaris ₦650,000
Matrix ₦600,000
Picnic ₦700,000
Sienna ₦850,000
Venza ₦1950,000
Rav4 ₦850,000
4Runner ₦950,000
Hiace-Bus ₦950,000
Highlander ₦1800,000
Land Cruiser ₦1900,000
Tundra ₦1900,000
Prado ₦1200,000
Volk Swagen Passat=N420,000.
Volk Swagen Beetle=N550,000.
Volk Swagen Golf=N400,000
Volk Swagen Jetta=N440,000.
Volk Swagen Toureg=N400,000.〽THANKS FOR PATRONIZING WITH US.!!!!!!!
Bags of cement #3,500
Delivery cost is #1,000INSTALLMENTAL PAYMENT IS FULL ALLOWED!!All VEHICLES ARE HIGHLY NEGOTIABLE〽WE COMMENCE DELIVERY WITHIN 36 STATE IN NIGERIA